Tag Archives: North Carolina

Retail, Shopping Mall

Concord, NC – Mall fire confined to small area by sprinkler system

A fire near Off Broadway Shoes caused an evacuation of Concord Mills Wednesday afternoon.

Around 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Concord Fire was dispatched to the mall. When crews arrived, they did find an active fire within a small corridor located near Off Broadway Shoes.

As crews arrived on the scene of the Concord Mills Alarm, an effective evacuation of occupants was taking place, and fire department crews located a fire within a corridor.

Both the Concord Fire Department and Concord Police Department worked diligently to assist in a complete evacuation. And fire department personnel were able to extinguish the fire within 8-10 minutes of arrival on the scene.

Due to the alarm and sprinkler systems activating, the fire was kept to a small confined area. However, it was for safety purposes that the mall remained evacuated for several hours.

Cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Concord Fire Marshal’s office.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Boone, NC – Fire at Super 8 Motel suppressed by sprinkler system until fire crews arrived

The Super 8 by Wyndham hotel at 2419 N.C. 105 in Boone is back open after an early-morning fire Feb. 7, according to the hotel’s owner.

“We would like to thank the Boone Fire Department for arriving quickly and ensuring that all of our guests were safe,” Super 8 owner Justin Patel said in a Feb. 8 statement.

Patel stated that hotel operations resumed as of Friday evening and that going forward, fire safety classes will be conducted for his employees.

“We are in the beginning stages of planning a yearly fire safety protocol class in conjunction with the Boone Fire Department,” Patel stated. “The goal of the class will be to help prepare local businesses to handle emergency situations like the one we just experienced. This class will be open to all owners and employees of local hospitality businesses. Our hope is to keep all of our High Country visitors as safe as possible.”

Patel is the registered vice president of hotel management group Panoramic Hospitality. Along with the Super 8, Panoramic also owns the La Quinta Inn and Suites and Sleep Inn on N.C. 105 Extension.

Boone Police spokesperson Shane Robbins said Feb. 9 that the fire is still under investigation. On Feb. 7, Boone Police Cpl. Kat Eller said the fire is considered suspicious. She added that the department has a suspect, but Robbins said that as of the morning of Feb. 9, no arrests had been made in the investigation.

Eller said Boone Police had requested a search warrant for one of the rooms in the hotel. Boone Fire had cleared the scene around 3 p.m. on Feb 7, according to Boone Fire Capt. Jacob Burleson.

Burleson said the call initially came in at 3:10 a.m. as a fire alarm and then re-dispatched six minutes later for a structure fire.

There was one origin of fire on the second floor that was actively burning. Burleson said. This fire was suppressed by the sprinkler system by the time Boone Fire had arrived on the scene. Firefighters advanced a hose line through to ensure that the fire was out, Burleson said.

Eller said there were various “char marks” in other places of the building as well.

As first responders arrived on the scene, the building was in the process of being evacuated. Burleson said when personnel were conducting searches in the building to ensure the fire was suppressed, it was found that several rooms had not evacuated. These individuals were escorted out by fire personnel, later allowed to return to their rooms with escorts and then escorted back out of the building, Burleson said.

Burleson advised that people should evacuate when they see or hear a fire alarm activated, as this is for their own safety as well as the safety of first responders.

Other Business, Warehouse

Charlotte, NC – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling business fire in large warehouse

Around 5:30 p.m. firefighters responded to a fire alarm at a warehouse in the 1000 block of Louise Avenue. When they arrived smoke was pouring from one side of the building but the size of the building meant more firefighters were needed. “The sprinkler system activated inside the building and actually held the fire in check until firefighters could stretch lines in which was approximately 300 feet into the structure,” Charlotte Fire Battalion Chief Joshua Johnson said.

Firefighters say employees had already evacuated before they arrived, but checking the businesses was still a priority. The scene along Louise Avenue has been covered in flashing lights all night. There are 3 businesses inside the massive 75,000 square foot building where the fire broke out.  Firefighters say the alarms went off, and the employees followed their evacuation plan and got out unharmed. 

“On a structure this size the first and most important thing is making sure everyone’s out in case there was anyone working here and the second is we call in additional resources quickly,” said Johnson. Neighbors trying to get home were rerouted and were concerned the fire could spread.

“It’s kind of scary that it sits this close to the house,” Miller said. Firefighters say the sheer size of the building presented challenges but no one was injured. Inside they say there’s substantial smoke damage but only moderate fire damage.

“There was zero visibility, you got to worry being about finding the seat of the fire to start with without firefighters getting lost or trapped, that’s the most difficult part of it,” said Johnson. So far, firefighters haven’t said which business the fire started in. Right now the cause remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fayetteville, NC – Child playing with lighter causes apartment fire; Sprinkler system extinguishes blaze

No one was hurt, but four people were displaced after an apartment fire was started by a child misusing a cigarette lighter in Fayetteville Saturday morning, officials said. The fire was reported just before 9:15 a.m. at 309-2 Family Lodge Drive at the Family Lodge Apartments, according to a news release from Fayetteville fire officials.

The fire was extinguished by an activated fire sprinkler system located in a child’s bedroom, according to officials. “After the investigation, it was determined that the fire was caused by intentional misuse of a cigarette lighter involving a child,” the news release said. Red Cross was called to the scene to help the family of four. No one was hurt.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Burlington, NC – Fire in linen closet at senior living facility snuffed out by sprinkler system

Sprinklers put out a fire in a linen closet Wednesday, Jan. 23, at a Burlington senior living facility. The Burlington Fire Department responded to Brookdale Burlington, 3615 S. Mebane St., about 4:45 p.m. All occupants had been evacuated to safe areas, and the sprinkler system had confined the fire to the closet. Damage was estimated at $500 to the structure and contents. “This incident highlights the benefits of having a functional automatic fire sprinkler system where damage was very minimal and no injuries to occupants or firefighters occurred,” the Fire Department said. Eighteen fire personnel were involved in the response and investigation.

Department Store, Retail

Lumberton, NC – Suspicious fire at department store contained by sprinkler system; Fire crews finish extinguishing blaze

Police in Lumberton are investigating a fire at a department store they say has been deemed suspicious. The fire broke out at the Rose’s department store on East 24th Street around 9:55 a.m. Monday. Lumberton police and Lumberton fire were called the scene. The sprinkler system activated one head, and the fire department was able to extinguish the remaining fire.

Lumberton police Capt. Terry Parker says the fire is being investigated as suspicious. No injuries were reported. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Charles Keenum at 910-671-3845.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Morganton, NC – Sprinkler system activated at Molded Fiberglass plant

The Morganton Department of Public Safety responded Wednesday (January 2) to a fire at the Molded Fiberglass plant at 213 Reep Drive. Firefighters were dispatched at 9:07 a.m. Wednesday, upon arrival, responding units were met with smoke and flames coming from the roof and around one of the ovens inside the plant. All employees had evacuated after trying initially to knock down the flames with a fire extinguisher.

The sprinkler system activated when the fire blew out the top of an oven used to mold fiberglass vehicle parts and ignited dust and resin collected on the building’s structural beams above. The fire spread to the ceiling and through a wall to the roof quickly. There were no injuries and property damage was confined to one section of the roof and a vent system.

Morganton fire units were on the scene for over two hours extinguishing the blaze and checking for fire extension. Burke County EMS responded to assist Morganton with any medical issues or injuries. The damage to the building was minimal and plant operations resumed as soon as the fire equipment and personnel were removed from the roof and oven room. A news release says the fire does not appear to be suspicious.

Apartment Building, Residential

Salisbury, NC – Stovetop apartment fire contained by sprinkler system

The Salisbury Fire Department contained an early Sunday morning structural fire at 200 Castlewood Drive.

Around 4 a.m. firefighters responded to a stovetop fire at Apartment #313 and contained it with help from the sprinkler system.

One occupant was treated by Rowan County EMS and transported for smoke inhalation.

Salisbury Police and Rowan Rescue were also on the scene.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Statesville, NC – Boiler room fire at high school put out by sprinkler system; No injuries and classes not disrupted

A fire that broke out Monday night in a boiler room at Statesville High School did “minimal damage” and will not disrupt classes, school officials said Tuesday.  The school’s sprinkler system put out the blaze shortly after it began around 6:30 p.m., according to a press release from Iredell-Statesville Schools.  The boiler room is in the basement of the Center Street campus. Some staff members were at the school when the fire started but no injuries were reported.  The Statesville Fire Department worked with school maintenance staff to secure the area, ISS said.

Air quality tests showed that the school was safe and classes were held as scheduled Tuesday.  Principal Hans Lassiter said the area “has pretty much been cleaned up. There are remnants of the burned insulation that smelled pretty bad, but that, too, has been neutralized.”  One basement classroom will temporarily be relocated while repairs are made.